Advice needed

[ColinH]

I am new to shooting having got my SGC in January this year. After receiving the certificate I had some lessons and purchased a new Beretta Silver Pigeon. In September, on the advice of my instructor, I had the gun fitted to me, which apart from shortening the stock also included changing the cast.

 

A month or so later I was shooting at another club and someone noticed that there was a gap between the top strap (the bit the top lever sits on) and the surrounding wood on the left hand side. Indeed when you hold the gun up you can see daylight through the gap. Being a newbie I hadn't noticed this, however it worried me because i thought is could let water in if I shoot in the rain plus it would devalue the gun if I ever decided to sell it. I took it back to the place that did the gun fit and which is also the place where I purchased the gun in the first place. They tell me that the only way to get rid of the gap is to change the cast back to where it was before they did the fit, which was a bit annoying as I had paid them £150 for the gun fit!

 

Given my concerns about the gap I told them to go ahead, they told me they would need the gun for 2 weeks to do the work. 4 weeks later the work still hadn't been done and I was advised that they would not start until after new year, ie 8 weeks after I had handed over the gun. Their excuse was that they are very busy. Given that the gun is perfectly usable I have taken it back with a view to returning it to them in the new year.

 

My questions are as follows. When changing the cast on a gun is it normal to end up with such a gap? Is it a problem having such a gap? Is the only way of getting rid of the gap to put the cast back to where it was? Have I acted in haste asking them to put the cast back to where it was?

 

Any advice would be much appreciated because at the moment as a newbie i am feeling very confused!

 

Thanks for your help

[wymberley]

Add it to your learning curve. A damned stonking great steel rod up through the stock can make things difficult for this work, but it shouldn't have happened. As the gun is new and worth a bit and if you intend keeping it, I'd be inclined to have it put back where it was (if possible) and then having found a well recommended 'smith, have an adjustable comb fitted.

[ips]

I do not think that altering the cast "should" cause a gap at that point. As above a better option would probably be an adj comb.

[casts_by_fly]

that is part of the risk you take in bending stocks. Nothing is guaranteed, especially when you have older wood (not this case) or steel through bolts. No it shouldn't happen but it can.

 

thanks

rick

[HDAV]

When they altered the cast did they change it from RH to LH?

 

I wouldn't worry about changing back unless you are selling or giving up as you will now have a messed with gun that doesn't fit....

Edited December 16, 2016 by HDAV

[welshwarrior]

Can you post some pictures I'm not sure I totally understand your discription but done overly like the sound on of it

[winnie&bezza]

I known what you mean as I had the same on one gun but I only noticed it about a month after buying it. I bought it second hand from a dealer. Being a bit of a perfectionist it was playing on my mind so I took stock off action,mixed some fine walnut sawdust with some araldite and smeared some along where the gap was. Once dried I filed down the hard araldite mix slowly and kept trying action until it fitted. Oiled it and can hardly see it and I know it's there.

Edited December 16, 2016 by winnie&bezza

[ColinH]

Thanks for the advice. I think I will gat it returned to 'pre gun fit' cast and go from there.

[JohnfromUK]

Thanks for the advice. I think I will gat it returned to 'pre gun fit' cast and go from there.

Think very carefully before going this route; IF you have been advised you need that cast for a fit, then removing the cast will result in a gun that doesn't fit. That's not a good thing. My suggestion is that you see a good gunsmith/stocker and get proper advice. I would be deeply suspicious of someone who returned a gun with daylight showing - because it shouldn't. Also - 'moving' wood to get gun fit is not a risk free process - and it can't be done repeatedly without additional risk. I have had a number of guns fitted - and requested another fitted - and the gunsmith politely declined because he believed in that particular case the risks of it going wrong were too great. Consequently I have one gun that isn't an ideal fit!